Before becoming so involved in the breastfeeding world, I wasn’t aware of how a doctor could in fact be a “booby trap“.  This is a person of authority that we turn to when we are concerned about the most precious thing in our lives.  It is natural that we would listen to their advice without questioning.  This survey of members of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is a decade old but is shocking nonetheless!  “Although the AAP statement extensively documents the superiority of human milk, a startling 45% of surveyed pediatricians view breastfeeding and formula-feeding as equally acceptable methods of feeding. Another 17% aren’t sure.”

So how can we make sure our pediatrician or family doctor is going to be on the same breastfeeding page?

Here are a few things to do that can get us going in the right direction:

• Figure out what your breastfeeding beliefs and goals are – How important is it to you to breastfeed and for how long?  Do you want to follow the WHO code to a tee or do you want to supplement and breastfeed from the get go?
• Get Referrals – Ask your ob/gyn, midwife, lactation consultant, La Leche League, friends and family.  Ask people that will give you an honest opinion and who know what you are seeking in a doctor.
• Do Research and Prepare Questions to Ask the Doctor - Arm yourself with the WHO code and other information that supports your beliefs.  Here are some questions to ask (for more questions see resources below):
  1) Whose breastfeeding recommendations do you subscribe to? Do you know the recommendations of health organizations such as the World Health Organization, the Department of Health, and UNICEF?
  2)  In what sort of circumstances would you recommend supplemental feedings, interruptions of breastfeeding and weaning from the breast?
  3)  Have you or anyone in your office had specific training in counseling breastfeeding mothers?
• Have confidence and a positive attitude – Be respectful and responsive when conversing with your doctor.  It should feel like you are a team in the management of your child’s care.

I look forward to creating a bond with my child’s doctor.  I imagine that they will be a big part of our lives, especially in the first few years! 
How impacting was your family doctor or pediatrician on your breastfeeding adventure?

Here are some great resources (and the sources of my research):

iVillage

Baby Center

La Leche League International

A plugged milk duct is a very common breastfeeding obstacle.  To reach our goals and make breastfeeding a pleasurable experience for all, I wanted to gather what the experts say so we can be prepared and overcome this hurdle!

Top tips for curing plugged ducts (taken from the resources below):

1) Eating a nutritious diet to boost the immune system

2) Plenty of rest and fluids

3) Nurse regularly, especially on affected side.  As Dr. Sears says ” by any means, get the milk out” to prevent engorgement.

4) Apply a warm compress before nursing.

5) Nurse affected breast first, ensuring a good, strong latch.  Baby can help dislodge the plug with his strong sucking.

These are some of the most  common remedies and suggestions.  I’ve also read wearing loose clothing, massage, different nursing positions, and a slice of potato can help.  Don’t let a plugged duct get worse or stop you from breastfeeding (I tell myself, over and over:)!

If you’ve experienced a plugged or blocked duct, I consider you an expert too!  What helped you clear a plugged duct?

Here are some great resources:

KellyMom

Dr. Sears

Breastfeeding.com

The Momzelle resources page (find answers to many other breastfeeding questions here as well!)

The Leaky Boob facebook page (an amazing community of moms helping moms)

I was introduced to the idea of baby signs when I worked in a daycare center.  One of our infants had a very large “vocabulary” of signs.  It was quite amazing (once his teachers learned the signs!) how easy it was to communicate with a child that wasn’t speaking yet.  This boy was able to tell us exactly what he wanted.  He even created his own signs.  He would point to his shoes, which had school buses on them and we would know he was requesting a sing-along of “wheels on the bus”!

from the book Baby Signs®

I became very curious about how the signing relationship worked and had many talks with his mother.  She explained that she integrated signs with her words.  Every time she would say “milk” or “all done” for example, she would simultaneously do the sign for that word.  Her son began signing back to her when he was around eight months old.  I would guess this little guy knew at least fifty different signs.  His mother advocated how much easier it was to deal with any fussiness because she could narrow down exactly what it was her son wanted or needed.

A concern among some of the staff at the daycare was that this boy may be delaying his speech development.  He was over one year old and seemed to rely on his signs instead of learning to say the words.  His mother was not concerned and when he moved into the toddler room just before he was eighteen months old, he was nearly speaking full sentences!  As far as I can find, there is no research to say that signing impedes speech.

Here are some of the benefits of signing according to babysignlanguage.com

• Bonding.  Baby Sign Language gives you an sneak peak into the head of your baby. It allows your baby to show you some of the things she is thinking and let you share some of your thoughts with her.
• Reduced Fussiness.  When your baby can’t communicate, he gets frustrated and has little fussy spells. This can leave you frustrated because you want to help but don’t know what to do. When your baby can tell you when they are hungry, thirsty, need a diaper change, or are hurt you can help. Even when there is nothing you can do – like if your baby’s leg hurts – it seems to soothe their pain if they can just share it with you.
• Development.  Baby sign language is a good structured activity to help babies develop mentally.  Studies shows that babies who have early exposure to signing, have larger speaking vocabularies earlier.

Did you communicate with your child through sign language?  Did it impact your breastfeeding relationship?

https://www.babysigns.com/

Of course, if it goes swimmingly, breastfeeding is one of the most satisfying, calming, and loving parts of motherhood.  I am preparing for the birth of my first child in February.  I am so excited to breastfeed.  I want it to be the magical bond I have read about, heard my sister talk about, and can imagine it to be.

But what if it doesn’t go so smoothly?  In my research, I have also heard of the many, many things that can be obstacles to successful breastfeeding.  Things such as blocked ducts, cracked nipples, mastitis (which I witnessed my sister endure, she had a rare case that involved pus, an abscess and surgery, yikes!), poor latch, low supply.  The list seems long and intimidating.

Luckily, I am surrounding myself now with people I can call on if trouble comes.  I want to be sure I try everything possible and that I am ready to ask for help because I am not on my own in this.

Here is my (ever growing) circle of support:

• My husband – he’s a big believer in breastfeeding and I know he will be there for me every step of the way.
• My sister and mother – It’s always good to have experience to call on.
• My sister-in-law – She has been trained in lactation management.
• My local La Leche League - I plan to attend at least a meeting or two before I have this baby.
• Online communities – It is amazing the support and information I have found already on facebook and twitter, forums and blogs.  Of course, it is my responsibility to discern facts from opinions, but there is definitely support out there!
• A lactation consultant – I haven’t found them yet, but I imagine I will have their phone number memorized by the time my milk comes in!
• Prenatal classes – We haven’t started them yet and it is only one of the six classes that discusses breastfeeding but I plan to have lots of questions and my notebook ready.  There is also a breastfeeding workshop offered at my hospital which I plan to attend.

Who or what else should be on my list?  Where do you turn for breastfeeding support?

This post was written as a part of a blog hop! Check out the other blogs listed below that are on the same topic of breastfeeding support.

It starts with “the breast milk dad”, a man from California who decided to blog about his effort to use up the freezer full of breast milk his wife had produced while nursing their baby.  This baby is now weaned and the milk was just taking up space.  The couple had apparently tried to donate it, but to no avail.  So Dad goes on a breast milk only diet, forsaking food.

Within two weeks, the uproar was too much to bear and the couple pulled the blog and stopped the stunt.  Outcries to donate the milk eventually led the couple to Emma Kwasnica of Human Milk 4 Human Babies.  Emma put them in touch with a mother of quadruplets in California!  The breast milk is now nourishing four little babies, instead of one grown man.
Click here to read the full article (and see the adorable quadruplets!).

This story coincides with the official World Milksharing Week , September 24-30 2011.

Have you or would you use donated breast milk?  Have you donated breast milk?

I have no doubt that he will bond with the baby in lots of ways; holding, washing, changing, rocking, and loving.  The most obvious way I can see to include him in the breastfeeding experience is to encourage and acknowledge his support of me, and I don’t just mean get him to bring me food and water and tell me I’m doing a great job (though that would be nice:))  The emotional support I will need from him will be essential to our breastfeeding success.  Humor, love and different perspectives make our relationship strong and I hope these traits will see us triumphant in parenting as well.

I admit that I am quite excited to have a special bond with my baby.  A mother/child bond that is unique only to me, but I can’t think of anything better than seeing my husband have his own bond with our children.  I can imagine him out on the driveway with the basketball or helping with math homework, but it’s hard for me to see him running home from work to change diapers!

How did you include the father in the early days of your child’s life?

Here are some interesting and more professional views on the subject:
Breastfeeding: How Dad Can Help

Dads and Breastfeeding

Kelly Mom

The Ultimate Breastfeeding Book of Answers, by Dr. Jack Newman.  My sister went to his clinic in Toronto and is a big fan.

The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding, from La Leche League International.  The LLL has such a great reputation and is a trustworthy source.

The Breastfeeding Book: Everything you need to know about nursing your child from birth through weaning, by Dr. William Sears and Martha Sears.  Martha Sears had eight children, enough said.

These seem to be the most popular, best-selling breastfeedng books.
Now, I hope they are in my local library!
Were these books helpful for you?  Were there any other books that helped you in your breastfeeding adventure?  I’d love to hear about them!
~ Sara @ momzelle

You didn’t drink for 9 months and you are still aching for a glass of wine/martini/cold beer. When pregnant, you protected your baby because you knew that alcohol would have been running in his veins with possible health consequences. Now, you’re also doing everything you possibly can to protect your baby: you’re exclusively nursing, following directions from the World Health Organization and your paediatrician. But what do they say about drinking alcohol while breastfeeding? How different is it from drinking during the pregnancy? Will drinking while breastfeeding hurt the baby?

1. Drinking while pregnant vs Drinking while breastfeeding:

Not the same thing.

When a drink contains less than 0.5% alcohol, it is considered non-alcoholic and it can be legally sold to minors in the United States. If you drank one beer (341 ml,  5%) and breastfed immediately after, your baby is drinking breastmilk that has a 0.03% alcohol content, which is considered a non-alcoholic beverage. His own level of alcohol in his blood will be around 0.0000001%. How can that possibly hurt him? It is very different from the 0.03% level that he would have in his blood if you had your drink while pregnant. For detailed numbers, see

2. Will drinking while breastfeeding hurt the baby?

Quick answer: no. Live your life and have a drink if you feel like it, it will not hurt your baby. Drink responsibly, that’s all.

Long answer: no. Live your life and have a drink if you feel like it, it will not hurt your baby. Drink responsibly, that’s all. Getting impaired is dangerous, whether you have a baby or not. Breastfeeding-wise, your breastmilk is still what is best for your baby, even if you had a drink. The alcohol level transferred to breastmilk, already low, will get even lower with time (same as your blood). Time, and nothing else, will make the alcohol completely go away from your breastmilk. The more you drink, the longer it takes for your body to eliminate the alcohol.

Remember that the taste of your milk changes according to what you eat and drink, and some babies may not like the taste of the beer.

The American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Drugs considers alcohol compatible with breastfeeding. It lists possible side effects if consumed in large amounts, including: drowsiness, deep sleep, weakness, and abnormal weight gain in the infant, and the possiblity of decreased milk-ejection reflex in the mother. The drug transfer table is available at http://aappolicy.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/pediatrics;108/3/776/T6 and the full text of The Transfer of Drugs and Other Chemicals Into Human Milk can be found at http://aappolicy.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/pediatrics;108/3/776. The Lactmed website (updated in 2009) also says that “casual use of alcohol (such as 1 glass of wine or beer per day) is unlikely to cause either short- or long-term problems in the nursing infant, especially if the mother waits 2 to 2.5 hours per drink before nursing, and does not appear to affect breastfeeding duration. Daily heavy use of alcohol (more than 2 drinks daily) may affect infants negatively and appears to decrease the length of time that mothers breastfeed their infants. Nursing or pumping within 1 hour before ingesting alcohol may slightly reduce the subsequent amounts of alcohol in breastmilk”.

Advice:

Enjoy your life with your baby: have people over, go for dinners, and drink alcohol moderately.

This week only, get $10 off the “Milk bar” nursing top by Momzelle. Buy two nursing tops and get free shipping when you enter the code “free”.

Disclaimer: Information presented in this blog entry is not meant as a substitute for professional judgment. You should consult your healthcare provider for breastfeeding advice related to your particular situation. Momzelle does not warrant or assume any liability or responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of the information on this site.

Just as your baby may need to drink more often to stay hydrated when it’s hot, the same applies to you (or anyone else for that matter). Drink lots of water (do not forget that juices are high in calories, so if you are watching your weight, stick with water as much as possible) and try to stay cool.

Good places to stay cool during the hottest moments of the day, usually between noon and 2PM, are air-conditioned spaces. If your own home is not air-conditioned, it could be a good time to do your groceries or to read some stories to your little one at the public library. Shopping malls are air-conditioned too.

When at home, try placing a comfortable chair by a window, or if you have one, in the basement.

Breastfeeding in the heat may be a little uncomfortable, as two sweaty bodies get close to each other. One way to avoid the sticky feeling is to place a light blanket between the two of you when you nurse. It will absorb the sweat.

Have you ever had to breastfeed in the heat? What did you do?

Breastfeeding in the heat

It can be useful to know various breastfeeding positions, but it is by no means necessary to try them all during the first week. Changing position can be very useful to empty some parts of your breasts that are engorged. I once heard of a woman who could only feel better when she was breastfeeding “on top” of her baby, resting on her forearms. I would have never thought of that before hearing it! It does make sense, though, that depending on your breast angle, gravity will play its part and some parts of your breasts will empty more quickly than others.

Here are 5 breastfeeding positions worth a try

1. The Football Hold: Look at the baby’s legs against the wall! This is a great position for breastfeeding twins, as the baby is not blocking the way to the other breast.

Football Hold Breastfeeding Position

2. The Reversed Cradle Hold: I find that this is a great starter position, as it allows you to really well position your breast.

Breastfeeding position: the reversed Madonna/Cradle hold

3. The Cradle Hold is a classic. You can start with the reverse cradle and switch to the cradle when you feel comfortable.

The Cradle Hold Breastfeeding Position

4. Side-Lying down: THE breastfeeding position for everyone who had a c-section. The baby is not pressing on the rough spots and you can rest. It is also a nice position at night.

Lying down while breastfeeding

5. The saddle hold: I like this one, especially for older babies. At some point, they are tall enough to sit on your lap and nurse! Before they reach that height, you can put a cushion underneath their bums. This is worth a try.

Saddle Hold Breastfeeding Position: natural with older babies, great with baby carriers.

6. Lying on your back (the Australian hold), the baby breastfeeding face down on you: no one had told me that I could breastfeed this way and I was fighting with tons of pillows to get my baby to latch on with the side lying position (she was small and my breast was too high for her to reach it when I laid on my side). After a few months, I tried this position and I really wish I had tried it earlier. Being small-breasted, it just made more sense for me to nurse this way. No more need for any pillows!

The Australian Hold breastfeeding position (lying on your back)

Little pieces of advice:

• For all positions, make yourself comfortable. Try not to bend towards your baby but to rather bring him up to your breast’s height.
• When sitting down (in the Madona position), put the baby’s arm that is on your thigh around your waist.
• When lying down on your side, bring the baby’s bottom against your abdomen so that he has a better latch.
• In the “Australian” position, have your baby lie diagonally on your abdomen.

I’d love it if you could let me know what positions worked best for you and why. Was this entry useful for you?